Surgical support



A. M. LE MAY SURGICAL SUPPORT pril 7, 1936.

Filed Dec. 14, 1932 Patented Apr. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SURGICAL SUPPORT tion of Michigan Application December 14, 1932, Serial No. 647,165

8 Claims.

'I'he present invention relates to surgical garments and has particular reference to supports and belts capable of correcting entroptosis and gastroptosis conditions.

As a primary object, this invention provides a surgical garment having an occupancy surface which is adapted to be positioned inwardly of the plane of ,the iliac crest to hug closely the abdominal wall thus providing a supporting shelf normally positioning ptosed organs.

Another object of this invention is to provide an occupancy surface which is anchored snugly against the abdominal walls through the employment of retaining side sections effective above and below the iliac crests and free from any interference thereby.

A further object of the invention is to provide an abdominal support for positioning ptosed organs in which iliac crest pressure or interference is eliminated through the employment of specific type of hood or pocket.

These and other objects will appear in the following description. It is to be distinctly understood, however, that I do not wish to be limited to the exact structure herein disclosed, but intend to include as part of my invention all such changes and modications as would occur to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of. the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred embodiment of my invention is shown for the purpose of illustration, my improved surgical support is shown in an extended position with the outside of the garment presented to view.

My invention is especially applicable to persons having prominent iliac crests suffering from visceroptosis resulting from the disappearance of thel fatty tisues of the abdomen which normally supports the organs in proper position. In such cases, it is necessary to gravitate the organs up into their normal position and then occupy from without the region from which the fatty tissues have disappeared. This is accomplished in my improved surgical support by anchoring an occupancy surface vclosely against the abdominal wall with the wearer in a Trendelenberg position. The occupancy surface is carried within the plane of the iliac crests by locating the retaining side sections for the occupancy surface above and below the projection of the ilia and removing all iliac crest pressure or interference by providinga hood portion dening the contour of the ilium. Preferably, the direction of the warp and weft threads from which the hoods are fabricated is such, relative to the direct pull upon the retaining sections, that the warp and weft threads are racked to lend a decided degree of elasticity to the hood to further relieve any iliac crest pressure or interference in the operation of the occupancy surface.

Having specic reference to the drawing, my improved surgical support comprises an occupancy surface I of pliable woven material preferably stiffened by longitudinally extending stays 2. Hooks 3 or the like cooperate with eyes 4 to provide quick attachment means. A triangular like side retaining section 5 is secured to the occupancy surface l along the line E. A

lower side section 1 is secured to the upper section 5 along the line 8 constituting the hypotenuse of the section 5. 'I'he location of the line B in the garment and the construction of the sections 5 and 'I are highly important. The upper and lower sections 5 1, as shown in the drawing,

line 8 is less than that of section 1, prior to securing the two sections together, with the result that a fulhiess constituting a hood-like portion is provided. Preferably, the differentiation in curvature is greatest over the iliac crest. In

the drawing, the broken lines in sections 5-1 designate the direction of the warp or weit threads as the case may be. It is to be noted that the threads, which may be termed the warp threads, are parallel to the line 6 along which 'section 5 is secured to the occupancy surface I. This is for the purpose of effecting a uniform application of retaining force to the surface. The warp threads of section 1 are located in the garment at an angle to the line 6. As shown, the direction of the warp in section 5 is uniformly altered until it is substantially parallel with the warps in section 'l in the locality of the iliac crest as at 9. It is particularly in the locality 9 that a lateral adjustment of the garment to position the surface l results in a racking or movement of the interwoven warp and weft thread out of the usual right angle position. This racking action increases the elasticityv of the hood portions and lends considerable flex- *ibility to the locality of maximum fullness with the result that the application of retainer forces upon the occupancy surface I from above and below the iliac crests is rendered increasingly freer from iliac crest pressure or interference.

The occupancy surface l is positioned, in part, Within the iliac crests of the wearer, through retaining sections I 0 superimposed upon the sections 5-1 and secured to the surface I along the line 6. The sections I U are substantially unyielding in their retaining action upon the surface I as distinguished from the flexible and elastic action in the locality 9 of the hip crest and in a plane therethrough parallel with the retaining sections. This construction permits a rearward adjustment of the sections IIJ, through tightening 'means located in laced rear sections II'-I2, to

anchor the garment below the iliac crests andY Y wall and within the ilia; upper fabric retaining side sections secured to each side of said surface,

prevent the same from rising thereover while Worn; and what is more important, the-flexibility of the hood formed along the line 8 relieves the garment from iliac crest/pressure and interfer-` and into contact with theabnormal abdominal wall in a manner never before accomplished, kIt eliminates in a. great many cases thenecessity ofemploying the usual occupancy.v pad and in severe cases limits the thickness of such pads to a minimum. i

Preferably, the tightening means located in the rear sections II-I2 consist in fabric strips I3 secured -to the sections I0 at I4 and passed through adjustment buckles I5 to present forwardly yeX- tending portions I6, which are drawn forward to effect a block vand tackler drawing in action uponthe rear sections II-IZ, through laces I1 operatively connected with the sections II-I2 andthe buckles l5 .in a. Well known manner. VIt is to benoted that the entire .retaining force, effected by-an inwardly adjustment of the sections I I-I2 andY transmitted to the occupancy surface I through the-sections I0, is' applied well below theiliac crests. Thislconstruction materially assists in providing a garment which will notraise. overthev hips-of the wearer and. as .thefretaining-forceis below vthe iliac crests and freey from, interference therefrom, the Y occupancy surface I -is carried further. within the ilium.

For positioningfthe upper-portion. of Vthe occupancy surface I, straps I 8 are securedto the sections. 5 and pass through buckles I9 to provide forwardly extended Aportion 20. Laces 2|k coact with the upper portion of the rear` sections I I--I2 andvbuckles I9 in a manner similar tothe laces II .and-buckles I5 herebefore described. In the upper-.adjustment the retaining force upon-the occupancysurface .is applied through the upper portion of the sections 5 wellabove the locality,r -9. Thus, as in theloweradjustment, all iliac crest inter-ferenceiis avoided by application; of the retaining,forces to one side ofthe ilium,

Obviously', other well known typesof adjustments-maybe employed in lieu of those. illustrated with varying degreeof success. The essence .of the present. invention does not lie in any particular .type of adjustment but -resides in positioning and retaining an occupancy surface Withinv the ilium by providing a garment having upper and. lower side sections through which the retainingforces tare appliedy to the occupancy surfacewith an intermediate section in the locality of the ilium which is hood-like and capable of ,considerable flexibility for removing all iliac crestsdnterference or pressure from, the upper and lower sidesections.k f Y To apply the garment the wearer .will preferablytake the `Trendelenberg `positio-n and will passv the same under the back securing the fastenersf-,IL ...,Due. to theposition taken theptosed organa assume theirnormal ,positionand 'upon drawingforwardthe strep portions Iii-120 the occupancy surface I will be drawn into the abdomen, well within the ilia, to provide a supporting shelf for the organs by occupying from Without that which is normally occupied by tissues, the dissipation of which has resulted in a ptosed condition.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. An` abdominal support for positioning ptosed organs comprising a front occupancy surface adapted to be positioned against the abdominal one side of said sections being curvilinear and located approximately over the iliac crest and following anterior superior spine when upon the wearer; lower fabric side sections having curvilinear-upper edges secured tosaid rst curvilinear edges, said upper edges being of the greatest curvilinearity to provide pressure releasing localities over the iliac crests; lower retaining side sections superimposed upon said lower side sections and secured to each side of the lower portion of said surface; rear sections having upper andl lower adjustablylaced portions; upper and .loweradjustment strapscoacting with said portions and secured to said upper and lower side retaining sections above and below the iliac crests for anchoring said surface within the ilia; said pressure releasing .localities enabling said surface to be retained in position free from iliac crest pressure or interference.

2. An abdominal support as characterized by claim 1, the direction of thev warp and weft' threads along the joined curvilinear edges being angularly positioned relative to the direction of adjustment.

3. An abdominal support for positioning ptosed organs comprising a front occupancy surface adapted to be positioned against the abdominal wall and within the ilia;..upper retaining side sections secured to each side of said surface, one side of sai-dA sections being curvilinear'and located. directly over the iliac crests rwhen upon the wearer; lower side sections having curvilinear upper edges secured to said rst curvilinear edges, sai-d upper edges being of the greatestY curvilinearity to provide pressure releasing localities over the iliac crests; rear sections having adjus/,table lacedportions lower retaining side sections superimposed upon saidlower side sections and secured to each side of the lower portions of said adjustable laced portions; upper and lower adjustment straps coacting with said laced-portions and secured to said upper and lower side retaining sections above and below the iliac crests for anchoring said surface within the ilia; said. pressureY releasing localities enablingv said surface to be retained in position free from iliac crestY pressure or interference.

4. An abdominal support for positioning ptosed organs comprising a front occupancy surface adapted to be positioned against the abdominal wall and within the ilia; upper fabric trianglelike side sections secured alongone side to each side. of said surface, the hypotenuse of said sectionsbeing curvilinear and extending from adcrest to locate and retain said surface in position, said surface being positioned within the ilia free from iliac crest pressure or interference.

5. An abdominal support as characterized by claim 4, the direction of the warp and weft threads along the joined curvilinear edges in the locality of the iliac crests being angularly positioned relative to the direction of adjustment.

6. An abdominal support for positioning ptosed organs comprising a front occupancy surface adapted to be positioned against the abdominal Wall and within the ilia to provide a supporting shelf for the organs by occupying from without that which is normally occupied from within by tissues, means attached to opposite sides of the lower portion of said occupancy surface through which a drawing up action of the garment is applied to exert a pressure upon said occupancy surface for positioning and retaining the same within the ilia, said drawing up action through said means being laterally of the body of the wearer and localized below the iliac crests, portions of the garment in the locality of the iliac crests being fulled to provide pressure releasing areas obviating pressure or interference by said crests to the positioning of said surface within the ilia through said means, additional means attached to opposite sides of the upper portion of said occupancy surface for retaining the same in position, said last mentioned means being effective laterally of the body of the wearer and above said iliac crests, and adjustment means for exerting a drawing up action through said first means for positioning and retaining said occupancy surface within the ilia.

'7. An abdominal support for positioning ptosed organs comprising a front occupancy surface adapted to be positioned against the abdominal Wall and within the ilia to provide a supporting shelf for the organs by occupying from without that which is normally occupied from within by tissues, sections in said garment in the locality of the anterior superior spine being attached to opposite sides of said occupancy surface, parts of said sections over the iliac crests being fulled to provide pressure releasing area obviating pressure or interference by said crests to the positioning of said surface within the ilia through a drawing up action of the garment, adjustable laced rear sections attached to said first mentioned sections, means through which the drawing up of said laced sections is transmitted laterally of the body of the wearer and is localized below the iliac crests for positioning and retaining said occupany surface within the ilia, said means being operatively connected with the lower portion of said occupancy surface.

`8. An abdominal support for positioning ptosed organs comprising a front occupancy surface adapted to be positioned against the abdominal wall and within the ilia to provide a supporting shelf for the organs by occupying from without that which is normally occupied from within by tissues, sections in said garment in the locality of the anterior spine being attached to opposite sides of said occupancy surface, parts of said sections over the iliac crests being provided with means to afford pressure relieving surfaces obviating pressure or interference by said crests to positioning said occupancy surface within the ilia through a drawing up action of the garment, adjustable laced rear sections attached to said first mentioned sections, means through which the drawing up of said laced sections is transmitted laterally of the body of the wearer and is localized below the iliac crests for positioning and retaining said occupancy surface within the ilia, said means being operatively connected with the lower portion of said occupancy surface.

ARIEL M. LE MAY. 

